PUBLISHED December 16th, 2015 04:00 am | UPDATED June 5th, 2020 06:50 pm
When America was taking baby steps in appreciating sushi and sashimi in the 1980s, the trailblazing Wolfgang Puck was already making waves with Asian fusion cuisine, imbuing Californian produce with a touch of Oriental exoticism. The fruit of Puck’s pioneering ways; Spago made its way from Beverly Hills to Maui, Istanbul, and now, Singapore. Making its Asian debut at MBS’ iconic Sands Skypark, Singaporean punters are in for a treat with the fine-dining flagship of Puck’s global culinary empire.
Once you manage the convoluted lift ride up to the 57th floor, and are lucky enough to chance upon one of the three sparkly-toothed hosts to guide you from the poorly sign-posted lift landing, everything else from here promises to be immaculate. You’re transported to a place governed by the rule of yes – first up, your wish to face away from the conveyor belt of half-naked holidaymakers sashaying by the pool is GM Wes Guild’s command. What you get, in turn, are unparalleled vistas of Marina Bay South to match the stunning food.
Spago’s Bar
There’s no reason to say no to Puck’s crowd-pleasing signature – his Big Eye Tuna Tartare cone ($24 for three) comes loaded with meekly spicy tuna cubes, with Japanese touches of umami bonito and briny masago rounding up the whimsical conception quite nicely. The first salvo is a winner, and sets us in the mood to indulge, while sipping Puck’s proprietary Chardonnay. Seafood fans can continue with the Hamachi ‘Tiradito’ ($32), sashimi-style amberjack alternating with fatty avocado strips – just beware of the heat lurking in the Tiger’s milk and Kashmiri chilli, or the curlicues of sesame sauce whose sour flavour we couldn’t decide we liked or hated.
Spago’s Terrace Lounge
There’s also the chilli-spiked ‘Angry’ Maine Lobster ($105) that’s stir-fried with an upsized dose of sugar, making its sauce a rib-sticking foil for the side of white jasmine rice. Diners go trigger-happy over the theatrics of table-side lobster de-shelling, but that also means a slightly tougher lobster by the time you put the crustacean in your mouth.
No sweat if you are more of a game and meat kind of guy – there’re plenty of good choices from the LAND side of the menu instead of the SEA side. Best foie gras of the year must go to Spago – the thin kaya layer hidden between nobs of Foie Gras and Crunchy Toast ($35) is a stroke of genius, whose gentle sweetness is just enough a counterpoint to the well-seared goose liver.
Big Eye Tuna Tartare
A Pan-roasted Quail ($46) stuffed with mushroom, brioche and raisins feels like a mini Thanksgiving, especially with passed sides of sweet tandoori carrots and nutty Brussel sprouts. The quail meat yields at the touch of a fork, and its jus delicious and aromatic. Finish off with parmesan-dusted Agnolotti ($29), each pasta parcel harbouring hot streams of white corn. The filling is pure lava gold, its sweetness discernibly driven more by seasons than liberal showers of sugar.
Spago’s swanky dining room
Just as Spago’s open kitchen purrs with a hushed sense of focus, its dapper servers also register as professional, knowledgeable and obliging. The staff-to-diner ratio is a luxurious high, which means more than sufficient gloved hands to set your warm Bernardaud plates on the table, and more than sufficient kitchen hands to ensure that every dish comes out flawless.
All you have to do is to oblige.